the eldest Brother, Rom. viii. 29. Col. i. 8. The Pre-eminence he has among his Brethren, as he is the First-born, is, that his is the Dominion and Headship of the Family, the Priesthood, the Bleffing, and the double Portion: Heb. iii. 6. Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house.' Chap. ii. 17. 'Wherefore in all things it behoved him 'to be made like unto his brethren; that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest, in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the fins of the people. Pfal. xlv. 2. ' Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath bleffed thee for ever.' verf. 7. Thou loveft righteousness, and hateft wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladnefs above thy fellows. The Bleffing is peculiarly his, though all his Brethren are blessed too, inasmuch as he is the prime Receptacle of the Bleffing, from whence it is conveyed unto his Brethren, who are blessed only in him: Gen. xii. 2. 3. And I will "make of thee a great nation, and I will bless

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thee, and make thy name great, and thou shalt ⚫ be a bleffing. And I will blefs them that bless thee, and curfe him that curfeth thee: and in thee fhall all the families of the earth be blef fed.' Compared with Gal. iii. 8. And the fcripture foreseeing that God would juftify the heathen through faith, preached before the gofpel unto Abraham, faying, In thee fhall all nations be bleffed.' Eph. i. 3. Eph. i. 3. Bleffed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath bleffed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Chrift.' Phil. ii. 9. 10. Wherefore God alfo hath highly exalted him,

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and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. Compared with Eph. i. 1o. That, in the difpenfation of the ❝fulness of times, he might gather together in one 'all things in Chrift, both which are in heaven, and ' which are on earth, even in him.'

The Advantage we have by the Dignity of Sonfhip to God, is, that thereby we have a Right to all the Privileges of the Sons of God: Rom. viii. 17. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Chrift. The Privileges of the Sons of God are, Access to him as a Father, his fatherly Pity, Protection, Provision, and Correction, and the eternal Inheritance : Eph. iii. 12. In Chrift Jefus our Lord we have boldnefs and accefs with confidence by the faith of him.' Compared with Matth. vi. 9. After 'this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.' Pfal. ciii. 13. Like as a father pitieth his chil'dren; fo the Lord pitieth them that fear him.' Prov. xiv. 26. In the fear of the Lord is ftrong confidence and his children shall have a place of refuge.' Matth. vi. 30. 31. 32. Wherefore if 'God fo clothe the grafs of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is caft into the oven, fhall he r not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, faying, What shall we eat or what shall we drink? or wherewithal 'fhall we be clothed? for your heavenly Father 'knoweth that ye have need of all these things.' Heb. xii. 6. Whom the Lord loveth, he chafteneth, and scourgeth every fon whom he receiveth."

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Rom. viii. 17. forecited. Our Right to these Privileges by Adoption, is not our only Right to them: We have another Right to them alfo, by our Juftification: Hab. ii. 4. The juft fhall live by his faith. Tit. iii. 7. That being juftified by his grace, we fhould be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.' Rom. v. I. 2. Therefore being juftified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jefus Chrift. By whom alfo we have access by faith into this grace wherein we ftand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.' The Difference between these two Rights to thefe Privileges lies here, That our Right to them by Juftification is our fundamental Right, our Right to them by Adoption is an honorary Right of Inheritance fuperadded thereto : Rom, v. 18. By the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon all men unto juftification of life.' verf. 19. By the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.' John i. 12. As many as re'ceived him, to them gave he power to become the fons of God, even to them that believe on ' his name.'

The Earneft of the eternal Inheritance, which God gives to his adopted Children, till they come to the full Poffeffion of it, is the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. viii. 15. Compared with Eph. i. 13. 14. The Spirit of Adoption is, the Spirit of his Son, fealing them with the Son's Image, and working in them a Son-like Difpofition and Affection towards God: Gal. iv. 6. And because ye are fons, God hath fent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.' Compared with Eph. i. 13. 14. In whom [Chrift] ye alfo trufted after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of

your

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your falvation in whom alfo after that ye believed, ye were fealed with that Holy Spirit ' of promife, which is the earnest of our inheri'tance, until the redemption of the purchased poffeffion, unto the praise of his glory.' And 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." And that is done, on " and in them, in their Sanctification: 2 Cor. i. 21. 22. Now he which stablisheth us with you in Chrift, and hath anointed us, is God: who hath also fealed us, and given the earnest of the 'Spirit in our hearts.' Chap. iii. 3. Ye are mani feftly declared to be the epiftle of Christ, minister'ed by us, written, not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but ' in fleshly tables of the heart.' verf. 18. forecited.

Queft. 35. What is Sanctification? Anf. Sanctification is the Work of God's free Grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole Man, after the Image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto Sin, and live unto Righteousness.

EXPLICATION.,

All who are effectnally called, are fanctified: And the Effect of their Sanctification on them is, real Holinefs in their own Perfons: 1 Theff. v. 23.24. And the very God of peace fanctify you wholly and I pray God your whole fpirit, and

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foul, and body be preferved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jefus Chrift. Faithful is he that calleth you, who alfo will do it.' Sanctifi cation then is not a mere Change of our State, but a Change of our Nature: 2 Cor. iii. 18. But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glafs the glory of the Lord, are changed into the fame i mage, from glory to glory, even as by the Spi<rit of the Lord.' Chap. v. 17. 'If any man be in ⚫ Chrift, he is a new creature; old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new.'

It is not an Act done in an Inftant, but a Work carried on by Degrees: 2 Cor. iv. 16. "Though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day.' And it is never perfected in this Life: 1 John i. 10. If we say that we have not finned, we make him a lyar, and his word is · not in us.' Phil. iii. 12. Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that ⚫ for which alfo I am apprehended of Chrift Jesus.' Sanctification then doth differ from Regeneration taken ftrictly for the Beginning of the new Creature: For Regeneration fo taken, being the quickening of the dead Soul, is done in an Inftant: Eph. ii. 5. God, even when we were dead in fins,

hath quickened us together with Chrift.' Com pared with John v. 25. But Sanctification differeth not from, but is the fame with Regeneration taken largely for the forming and advancing of the new Creature in all its Parts: Tit. iii. 5. 6. 'Not by works of righteousness, which we have done, but according to his mercy he faved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost: which he shed on us abundant

ly,